


Healthy Fear

by apostapals (apostapal)



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Aberdeen Surana, F/M, Gender-Neutral Hawke, M/M, Other, shapeshifting anders, spiders and shapeshifting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-24
Updated: 2016-08-24
Packaged: 2018-08-10 17:04:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7853674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apostapal/pseuds/apostapals
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt fill. Anders learns a new trick, Hawke isn't a fan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Healthy Fear

The stay at Vigil’s Keep had been a welcome break; after months on the run it was nice to know they were under no threat of templars storming their room in the middle of the night. And, Hawke had to say, the time among old friends had done Anders good. He was no warden anymore but Warden-Commander Surana and her flock took him as he was and simply seemed glad to have him around at all.

So, when Anders and Surana spent the afternoon in her office discussing—as Anders put it ’ _mage-y things_ ’, Hawke thought nothing of it. They were already famililar with the various tricks Surana and Anders had traded over the years. Anders used the same wrist flick to cast Winter’s Grasp that they watched Surana use and they were almost certain the warden’s healing form was a mirror of Anders’–if a little lacking in practice by her own admission. Mages did this sort of thing; shared spells.

“Hawke, _hey_!”

They blink and backpedal when Surana calls their name down the hall. She waves them in from the crack in her office door and Hawke pops their head in to be greeted by—a spider?

Now, saying Hawke is simply afraid of spiders is unfair. They would insist their fear is founded; something more like ’ _avoiding death_ ’. But perhaps phobia is simply the best term.

So when their eyes land on the dog-sized arachnid in the middle of Surana’s office their response is first to gasp, loudly, and then simply stop breathing all-together. Next to them, they hear Surana clap a hand over her mouth to try and muffle laughter.

In a recognizable puff of smoke the spider vanishes and is replaced by Anders—who looks more than a little concerned at Hawke’s fear response.

“Aber, I told you Hawke’s petrified of spiders! Maker, are you _six_?” he fusses and moved over to rub Hawke’s arms and try to soothe them into breathing properly again—instead of in panicked hiccups.

Surana’s still laughing, doubled over now, and Anders swats at her.

“It was just me, love. I _told_ her not to show you but she’s a _child_.” he says, managing to get Hawke inhaling and exhaling like a champ again, “I’m sorry, you caught us in a lesson.”

_Shapeshifting_ , right. Anders had learned a few things from the Warden-Commander before. Apparently, now she had new tricks. Awful ones.

It _always_ has to be spiders, doesn’t it?

“I. Hate. You.” Hawke shoots Surana a scornful look and she grins to try and bite back more laughter.

Hawke clutches at Anders’ coat and leans on him for support, still feeling slightly out-of-breath. Whatever look the healer shoots his friend is enough to stop the warden from properly giggling again, at least.

“I think he makes a cute spider.” she says after a tick, “It’ll make scaring off templars more fun.”

“Cute and spider do not go together.” Hawke groans, pressing their cheek to the feathers on Anders’ shoulder and glowering at her.

“Oh, but who better to help you beat your phobia?”

“It’s _not_ a phobia.” Hawke huffs.

They hear Anders laugh this time and shoot him a disgruntled look. He just grins.

“You just had a panic attack over seeing one for five seconds, Hawke.”

“I just don’t like looking at them!” Hawke shoots back, quickly adding, “I still like you, six eyes and eight legs and all. Just, _ugh_ , don’t do that around me again.”

Anders just laughs and nods.

“Of course, my fearless champion.”


End file.
